Bomb shelter



Jan. 10, 1956 D. c. LUTTEKE BOMB SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24,1951 JNVENTOR;

A70/670750 C 10772512' @afn 00a/wl@ BOMB SHELTER Dorothy `C. Lutteke,Van Dyke, Mich. `ApplicatiorrMay 24, 1951, Serial No. 228,049 1 claim.(cl. 'l2-1) This invention relates to embedded ground enclosures forrefuge purposes and particularly to an improved underground bombshelter.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved bombshelter and the like which is designed and constructed in a novel mannerto protect persons from various types of explosions and particularly theexplo sions and effects of recently developed implements `of atomicwarfare. Another important object of the invention is to provide animproved bomb refuge or shelter which is located substantially whollybelow the surface of the ground and yet is constructed in a novel wayfor shielded ventilation and for quick access thereto and egresstherefrom. A further important object of the invention is to provide animproved bomb shelter of the character which is designed to shield andprotect persons from extremely harmful effects of atomic radia tion andto withstand ground shocks. A still further important object of theinvention is to provide an improved shelter of this character which isdesigned for economical manufacture and installation.

Various other objects, advantages and meritorious features will becomemore fully apparent from the following specilication, appended claim,and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a bomb shelterof the present invention showing a preferred manner of disposition belowthe ground level;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the bomb shelter taken along line 2-2 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a substantially vertical sectional View taken along line 3-3of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 4 4 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 5 5of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a l UnitedStatesPatent() modified form of cover mounting for the bomb shelter;

and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating themanner of releasably locking the cover of Fig. 6 in opened condition. l

The drawings illustrate a preferred construction of the bomb shelter andincluding a hollow body generally indicated at 10 in Fig. l which servesas a compartment for one or more `persons seeking refuge from bombattacks. The body 10 comprises a circular Hoor 12 and a round wall 14connected to the peripheral margin of the iioor and rising thereabove onall sides of the floor. Preferably the wall 14 is bulged or belliedoutwardly as shown in Fig. 1 and inclined inwardly for connection to thefloor 12. The upper end portion of the wall 14 is preferably curvedinwardly to a greater degree than the bottom portion and terminates in acircular opening or hatch of less diameter than the internal diameter ofthe floor 12. Preferably the lioor 12 and the wall 14 are formed ofcementitious material, such as concrete, and poured into a form having aconfiguration of that shown in Fig. 1. In this manner, the wall and thefloor are integrally joined together in the form of `a unit. Althoughthe oor and the wall may be of various thicknesses, it is preferred tomake them relatively thick, such as a thickness of approximately onefoot.

The body 10 is embedded in the ground below the surface thereof in themanner illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper end opening of the wall 14 ispreferably located in spaced relationship below the ground level. Acover or closure member indicated at 16 is employed to close the openingin the upper end of the wall 14. This cover is preferably formed ofcementitious material vand shaped to seat within the opening in itsclosed position and to project laterally beyond all sides of the wall.The cover is preferably circular in formation having a diameter greaterthan the floor 12 and at least equal to the maximum diameter of the wall14. Constructed in this manner, the cover 16 in its closed position hasa lateral projecting peripheral portion 18 which projects laterallybeyond the adjacent portion of the wall 14 and overhangs the same in themanner illustrated in Fig. 1. The cover 16 is provided with a centralbulge 26 which is of a size to t the opening of the top of the Wall andproject downwardly below the level of this opening. Shaped in thismanner the cover together with the wall 14 and iloor 12 form arelatively thick shield completely around the area circumscribed by thewall 14.

The body 10 together with the cover 16 are preferably so embedded intothe ground that the upper surface of the cover lies substantially iiushwith the surface of the ground. Surrounding the upper portion of thewall 14 and the cover 16 is a shallow depression or trench 22. Thistrench is formed at the time the hole is dug for receiving the body 1li.The trench forms an overhead exposure for the upper end portion of thewall 14 and the cover 16. Shielded Ventilating openings or air passagesare formed in the wall 14 which open into the depression 22 below theoverhanging peripheral margin 18 of the cover. A series of such airpassages are shown at 24 extending substantially vertically and havingtheir respective lower ends opening into the interior of the body 10 andtheir respective outer ends opening into the trench 22 below thelaterally projecting portion of the cover 16. in this manner, the coverserves to shield the openings or passages 24 from direct blasts of anexplosion and from the radiation effects resulting from an atomicexplosion.

The bomb shelter is constructed with underground passages leading fromthe body 1t) to the surface of the ground in spaced relationship to thetrench 22 and the cover 16. Preferably two such passages are providedlocated diametrically opposite to one another in order to assure safetyto the person desiring to enter and leave the body 10. For this purpose,the wall 14 of the body is provided with two openings or apertures 26and 28 located opposite to one another and close to the door 12. Eachopening or entrance is of a size to admit a person therethrough. Leadingupwardly from each entrance is a passage which opens out through thesurface of the ground spaced from the trench 22. The passage for theentrance 26 is indicated at 30 and is preferably inclined substantiallythroughout its extent in order to provide a chute down which persons mayslide to the bomb shelter. The upper end of the passage 30 is preferablyclosed by a hinged cover member 32. In a generally similar manner, theopposite entrance 28 is provided with a passage 34 which may be shapedas shown in Fig.. l with a vertical section 36 opening out on the groundlevel. A hinged cover 38 is provided for closing the ground levelopening of the vertical passage section 36. A ladder 40 may be providedin the vertical section 36 to facilitate ingress and egress. It isunderstood that the ground level cated in further spaced apartrelationship to the trench V22 than that shown in Fig. l.

Closes in Order t0 permit theescape f remthe body M For this purpose,the cover 16 is preferably hinged to one side of the wall 14 inthemanner illustrated in lgs. l,

4 and 5. The hinged mounting may omprisea cylind rical bar 4 2 cast inthe upper endof the wallld in the manner illustratedin Figs. 4 and 5.The cover I is provided with one or more integrally cast. `dependingproiections or lugs 4 4 which are shaped with-bcres extending on acommon axis for receivingthecylindrical bar ,42. It is thus apparentthat the cover 1 6 may be vsvt/.ung about the axis ofthe bar 32 vfromthe lclosed position shown in full line in Fig. l toan openedvdottedposition likewise shownin Fig. l. Itis preferred to have the hat' 4 2composed of material whichis non-radiative material to prevent yanyabsorption of any radiation etects of an explosion.

To assist in lifting the cover- 16,- it is preferred to eni- :ployresilient means tending to urge the cover toward its fully openedposition. One such yform of resilient means is illustrated in Fig. l andcomprise-s one or more leaf springs 14p. Each s et ofl leaf springs hasone end thereof vembedded and locked in the upper end of the wall 14adjacent to the hinged axis and the other end thereof is free to engagethe underside of the coverflo. As shown in Fig. l, the central portionZtlof the covermaybe cut @Wayin line with each leaf spring to form adownwardly opening recess V4S for receiving theproieetins end of thespring. The leaf springs 4d are mounted in the wall 14 such thatnormally they would assume the positionshown in dotted outline in Fig.l. When the cover is moved to closedposition, the springs will be lexeddownwardly to the f ull line position shown in Fig. l. In this manner,the springs s lwill tend to swing the cover 16 to open position aboutits hinged axis.

To securely lock the cover 1,6 in 1closedposition, a mechanism isAprovided .which is operable from the inside of the body 1 9 forengaging a/ portion of. the cover opposite to its hinged axis. Thismechanism-may be constructed as shown in Iligs.-- l, Zand 3 to provide alluttencd loop 5i) which is receivable over the projecting margin 18 ofthe cover, in the manner shown in Figs. -2 and y3. `The loop 5 0 isconnected toa bar or :rod 52 .extending through an opening 54 in theupper end ofthe wall 14. T he rod is supported y for swingingrnovcmcntin a vertical plane by means of a support located on. the

inside of the body lil. Such supportcomprises a .pair of Asimilarlyspaced apart parallel bracket membereW-Se between which extends a crossshaft 5 8. A'" Iihelatter is journaled 4for rotation on thebracvletmembers S6755.

The cross shaftSti is provided with at ransversc bore through which therod 52 extends. T o provide longitudinal adjustment of the rod 52, vthelowerend thereof' may y.be externally threaded, asshown in Figs. l and 3vand anut 6i) provided which is threaded thereon.

A s a result of `this assembly, it isevident that the, rod 52 andtheloop $0 maygoeswung in a verticalplanc from the full line covercngagingposition shown in Fig.

l to an unlockingdotted 4position shown in Fig. 1. To provide such yswingable 4movement of the rod 5 2, the passage Sil in 'the'wall may beshaped in the -diverging formation shown. Threaded adjustment of the nut60 will permit theA rod and the loop vportion to lne-extended andretracted relative to the wallHin order to, if necessary, clear theperipheraledge ofthe cover 1 6 V as well as to draw the cover tightlyagainstthe Lwall. lf desired, three-ded adiustmentf the 10d 5 ;2maybeutilized to initially liftthe coverl. .This-maybe accomplished byrotatingthe net o; vin the directiontoexially move therod.upWardlyrelative-to.the cross shaftr58. jTofaivtate r ingressgandegress-:throughethe Vopeningzin .the V.upper portion -of .the body .19,a .ladder 6.2 may ne pro/isles which is secured to the wa1l'14.

In Figs. 6 and 7, a modification of the invention is illustrated. Inlieu of the springs 46, or in addition thereto, the cover 16 may becounterbalanced -to aid in its opening movement. For this purpose theremay bc provided a weighted menibie r .6 4 secured to, the undersideofthe overhanging"portionV 018 of the cover adjacent to the hinged axisbut on .the'side thereof opposite the hatch opening-in ,the wall.Theweighted member 64 may be arcuately formedas shown in Fig.'v 6 andmoved through an aperture `66 Iin .the V4wall which isshaped to conformto the curved path o f travel of theweighted member. The latter may beof such a length that when the cover is swung to fully opened positionthe inner end thereof projects inside of Vthe body 10 as shown in dottedoutline in Fig. 6 and in full line position in Fig. 7. -The innerprojecting end .of ,the .weighted lmember 64 may be `utilized to.releasably lock .the .cover .16 ;in fully opened position. For thus.purpose,.the .innenprojecting end Aof the `member .64 may be providedwith a transverse .recess or lbore.68 .into which is.detachablyreceived. clipmembersin thezform of right angularlyshapedbars 70470. VIn.=this manner, .the counter weight `64 may .beutlilized'for releasably locking the .closure member16:.in fullyopenposition.

'To .provide drainage of any .water ,or other .material which .maycollect in the trench 22, there 4is .provided a conduit extendingdownwardly along the outside offthe .wall 14 and yemptying v.into `acistern located .below .thc level of the `floor 12. The drainagepassage. is indicated at 72 and may beformed by casting a ,conduit574integrally with the outside .ofthewallxli VThe upper end of the conduitopens into .the lowest portion of the trench 22 and maybecovered by'ascreen .-toprevent clogging .of the passage. The lower endof theiconduitmay openintothecistern or cess-pool 76 located in .the ground below .thefloor 12 `as shown in Fig. l.

`What I rclaimis:

A Vbomb shelter comprising a hollow round body embeddedintthe ground andcomposed of cementitiousmaterial, said body including a circular llooranda generallycircular sidewall extending upward. from. theoor andhaving its Iupper end section inclined inwardly .on all sides to form .ahatch openingcoaxially related to the floor and .of 'less diameter `thanthe floor, said .body further including a circular closure member for.the `hatch opening,fsaid closure member having a diameter greater thanthe upper end of the wall and being centrally related thereto' so .thatin' closed position' its outer ,niarginal portions project outwardlybeyondV all sidesk ofthe upper `end lof --the .walL the groundimmediately adja cent to the body being removed yto` provide a shallow.trench extending .around Ythe body andv exposing the up persection. ofthe side wall-.underthe projecting marginal portions of the closuremember to the atmosphere, means pivotally connecting theclosurememberfto one side of the upper section of the side wall forswinging move- `ment about a horizontal axis from a closed positionoverlying the hatch opening toen upright position exposing ihfhatsh'Opening the @Per inwardly idinedf ,Ssstisn of thewall being providedTwith a plurality lof air vent passages circularly.spaced lthei-.earoundand opening at .one

. end intothe interior of .thebody and at theotheend Ainto 'thefrenchunder the .project ing portion oflthelclosure memben and a wilmerv'eishtsecured 1.0411@ 'Pristiss Y irfieii sfth sloslut feinster @dissent t0`the Pivotal axis thereofhandAarrangeduupon openingmovement ofthestesure. @onvermogen-0n@ of said air Yen? passages and means-,forvreleasably locking the counterweight in vthe.ait-...vent passagcwhich.it enters to hold the closure member. in open. position.

.iCReferencea .onafnllowing .page) References Cited in the le of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Moon Mar. 16, 1897 Howard Sept. 7, 1897Julian Aug. 1, 1905 Crosta Aug. 20, 1918 Nelson Nov. 29, 1927 StarretApr. 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1891 6 Italy of 1936Great Britain of 1940 Great Britain of 1940 Germany of 1940 GreatBritain of 1942 France of 1942 OTHER REFERENCES American Builder, page56, September 1943. Concrete, pages 24 and 26, January 1950.

